Two teenagers in Texas, aged 17 and 18, have been accused of the kidnapping and murder of a Texas woman, as well as the attempted murder of another Texas man.
From ABC in Houston:
Two teenage MS-13 gang members charged with capital murder of a woman who was kidnapped while returning home from work refused to appear in probable court overnight, records show.
Jordan Montalvo, 18, and Carlos Romero Munoz, 17, are charged with capital felony offenses in the shooting death of Sandra Montes-DeEscamilla and accused of a series of crimes on Aug. 10.
Sources said Romero and Montalvo claim to be part of the brutal MS-13 gang.
MS-13 is a brutal Mexico-based gang that has made its way into the US through the open and unsecured southern border.
ABC13 learned in court that Munoz has been in Houston since he was 7 years old and lives with his grandma. Montalvo previously had a job washing cars and lives with his parents and sister.
The teens have another scheduled court appearance 9 a.m. on Thursday.
The story doesn't state the immigration status of these teenagers, whether or not they are legally in the United States, but their involvement in a foreign gang is a direct result of poor border security.
The brutality of this crime is devastating.
Montalvo and Munoz allegedly kidnapped Montes-DeEscamilla at her apartment complex on Highway 6, and tried to force her to get money out of the bank. When she didn't comply, the teens allegedly made her drive to another complex on Rio Bonito, where they put her in the trunk of her Volkswagen and shot her to death.
According to court records, Montes, 45, was seen on surveillance video driving into the Falls of West Oak Apartments at about 2 a.m. Three men in masks and gloves were chasing her car as she turned into her unit.
About 10 minutes later, Montes' car exited the complex.
According to court documents, one of the men, Selvyn Sandoval, later admitted to deputies that they "targeted" the 45-year-old, kidnapped and assaulted her. The motive was robbery.
After shooting the woman in her trunk, investigators believe Montalvo and Romero turned the gun on Sandoval and shot him several times. He was taken to the hospital via Life Flight and survived his injuries.
Eight days after the murder, detectives were able to match a palm print left on Montes' car to Romero, according to court records.
This isn't the only murder these men have been involved in.
ABC13 has learned at least one of the two young suspects is linked to another murder in June.
On June 25, Patrik Maldonado was walking on the sidewalk in the 7100 block of Woodridge in southeast Houston when he was targeted. Houston police released home surveillance video appealing to the public for tips. The video shows Maldonado being chased before he was gunned down.
Maldonado was 58 and a widower. His daughter told ABC13 he had three children and was in Houston to work.
Prosecutors filed a motion with the judge to have both teens held without bond throughout the case. In the motion, a prosecutor says the defendants "would probably be punished by the death penalty if the law is administered."
Crime along the southern border is out of control and the effects of this immigration policy are completely unacceptable.
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